SCENARIO Ms. Campbell is a language specialist who works with students at both the elementary- and middle-school levels. She has several elementary-level students who have difficulty retrieving words when speaking. Often, these students will shift in their seats and say, “I know it” when trying to describe an event. In addition, these students have trouble participating in group discussions, sharing ideas on a topic, and developing ideas that follow previous learning. Interpreting critical parts of a story is a tremendous challenge for these students. Recently, many of these students have demonstrated immature social skills. They may misinterpret social cues, fail to think of others’ thoughts and feelings, and be unable to predict the consequences of their behavior.
1. One of Ms. Campbell’s students is a bilingual student who speaks Spanish and has acquired English as a second language. What factors should Ms. Campbell consider when assessing this student? Ms. Campbell should consider his cultural background and what social cues they might have, that could be misinterpreted. Her student might be unfamiliar with the English language and the culture.
2. Describe two formal language assessment instruments that Ms. Campbell can use to gain information regarding her students’ language abilities. Screening test- Can be given by the district when the child enters kindergarten. It is used to show the general overview of how the students performance in a particular area. Example: Adolescent Language Screening Test Diagnostic test- Measures one or more specific language components, including receptive or expressive language. Example: Bankson Language Test.
3. Ms. Campbell believes that one of her kindergarten students has phonological deficits that affect language development. How can she test this student’s phonological skills? Make a list of consonant phonemes and collect pictures to depict the words that contain each phoneme. The examiner lists all the phonemes errors and determines which phonemes should have been mastered at the student's developmental age. These phonemes can become targets for the student's educational objectives. After it has been analyzed the examiner should collect baseline data on the target phonemes in the student's spontaneous speech.
4. Ms. Campbell wants to use strategies for increasing language production. Present three strategies that may improve the expressive skills of her students. Ms. Campbell can model for the students and then have them mimic her. Role play or charades to improve student's use of language in different contexts and to enhance the ability to recognize the importance of nonverbal skills such as eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures. Story telling activities in which the student must name all of the objects or pictures, tell what is happening, and create an ending.
5. Describe two instructional language games that can be played by Ms. Campbell’s students in small groups. Phonetic bingo- The students have a card that has 5 columns, each column has 5 different phonemes in it. The bingo caller says the letters and the numbered column and if the student has a letter in that column they cover the space. Can you answer with a Question?- It is set up similar to Jeopardy. They have to answer each question with another question. For example the category may be clothes, and the word on the card may be shoes. The correct answer on the back of the card is, "what do you wear on your feet?" Object questions require a what question answer and place questions require a where question answer.
from - Teaching Students with Learning Problems, 8th Edition, Cecil D. Mercer; Ann R. Mercer; Paige C. Pullen (2011)
Ms. Campbell is a language specialist who works with students at both the elementary- and middle-school levels. She has several elementary-level students who have difficulty retrieving words when speaking. Often, these students will shift in their seats and say, “I know it” when trying to describe an event. In addition, these students have trouble participating in group discussions, sharing ideas on a topic, and developing ideas that follow previous learning. Interpreting critical parts of a story is a tremendous challenge for these students. Recently, many of these students have demonstrated immature social skills. They may misinterpret social cues, fail to think of others’ thoughts and feelings, and be unable to predict the consequences of their behavior.
1. One of Ms. Campbell’s students is a bilingual student who speaks Spanish and has acquired English as a second language. What factors should Ms. Campbell consider when assessing this student?
Ms. Campbell should consider his cultural background and what social cues they might have, that could be misinterpreted. Her student might be unfamiliar with the English language and the culture.
2. Describe two formal language assessment instruments that Ms. Campbell can use to gain information regarding her students’ language abilities.
Screening test- Can be given by the district when the child enters kindergarten. It is used to show the general overview of how the students performance in a particular area. Example: Adolescent Language Screening Test
Diagnostic test- Measures one or more specific language components, including receptive or expressive language. Example: Bankson Language Test.
3. Ms. Campbell believes that one of her kindergarten students has phonological deficits that affect language development. How can she test this student’s phonological skills?
Make a list of consonant phonemes and collect pictures to depict the words that contain each phoneme. The examiner lists all the phonemes errors and determines which phonemes should have been mastered at the student's developmental age. These phonemes can become targets for the student's educational objectives. After it has been analyzed the examiner should collect baseline data on the target phonemes in the student's spontaneous speech.
4. Ms. Campbell wants to use strategies for increasing language production. Present three strategies that may improve the expressive skills of her students.
Ms. Campbell can model for the students and then have them mimic her.
Role play or charades to improve student's use of language in different contexts and to enhance the ability to recognize the importance of nonverbal skills such as eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures.
Story telling activities in which the student must name all of the objects or pictures, tell what is happening, and create an ending.
5. Describe two instructional language games that can be played by Ms. Campbell’s students in small groups.
Phonetic bingo- The students have a card that has 5 columns, each column has 5 different phonemes in it. The bingo caller says the letters and the numbered column and if the student has a letter in that column they cover the space.
Can you answer with a Question?- It is set up similar to Jeopardy. They have to answer each question with another question. For example the category may be clothes, and the word on the card may be shoes. The correct answer on the back of the card is, "what do you wear on your feet?" Object questions require a what question answer and place questions require a where question answer.
from - Teaching Students with Learning Problems, 8th Edition, Cecil D. Mercer; Ann R. Mercer; Paige C. Pullen (2011)